Berry Gordy’s The Last Dragon (1985)

Berry Gordy’s The Last Dragon (1985) Directed by Michael Schultz. 1hr 49min. PG-13 Rated.

Guest programmed by Terrelle Brown, PAM CUT @ The Whitsell presents Berry Gordy’s The Last Dragon (1985). This stunning camp musical kung fu classic is a portrait of a young man in 1980’s New York City, set against a backdrop of a Motown soundtrack and fantastic street culture and fashion as he searches for his Master. 

Berry Gordy’s The Last Dragon is a wild take on the Kung Fu craze and rides on the heels of the Blaxploitation era. The music, costuming, and bizarre world Gordy builds was destined to be a cult classic from the start. An arcade game come to life and a quirky look at cultural appreciation, it’s worth a watch at least once. WHO’S THE BADDEST!?

“Growing up, my father and I bonded over playing Street Fighter IV, and I recently learned that Berry Gordy’s The Last Dragon is one of his favorite films of all time. During my middle and high school years, our family hosted international students from Japan for weeks at a time, and in high school, one student stayed with us for four years from Xi’an, China. I believe those experiences formed an interesting cultural syncretism that I’ve carried into adulthood.” – Terrelle Brown

Terrelle Brown is a content creator, sports marketer and photographer living in Portland, OR.

We do not generally provide advisories about subject matter or potentially triggering content in films, and films exhibited don’t necessarily reflect the views of PAM CUT or the Portland Art Museum. In addition to the synopses, trailers, and other links on our website, further information about content and age-appropriateness for specific films can be found on sites like Common Sense Media, IMDb, and DoesTheDogDie.com.